December 2007 – Page 3 – ellen tordesillas

Escudero seeks raps vs cops who arrested media in Makati

Published by Ellen on December 18, 2007

Nov. 29 -related stories: Manila Pen civilians go to SC

by Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net

The police unit that assaulted the Manila Peninsula hotel to quell an attempted uprising last November 29 should be slapped with charges for arresting, detaining, and manhandling journalists covering the incident, Senator Francis Escudero said Tuesday.

“The medals they received were commendations for protecting not the people but the President [Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo] only and for that they should be condemned for violating their oath to serve the people and defend the Constitution,” Escudero said.

Rigodon ng mga kapit tuko

Published by Ellen on December 17, 2007

Sinulat kamakailan ni Lito Banayo, kolumnista ng Malaya, ang nasagap niyang balita sa kanyang mga kaibigan sa Malacañang na magkakaroon ng rigodon sa gabinete ni Gloria Arroyo sa bagong taon.

Sinabi ni Banayo, at kumakalat na ngayon sa text, papalitan ni DILG Secetary Ronnie Puno si Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita. Bibigyan daw ng ambassadorial si Ermita o isang position sa isang malaking korporasyon na lumalangaoy sa pera katulad ng san Miguel Corporation.

Si Environment Secretary Lito Atienza daw ang papalit kay Puno sa Department of Interior and Local Government. Papalitan naman si Atienza ni dating congressman Prospero Pichay. Maala-ala natin si Pichay ay tumakbo ng senador. Gumastos ng malaki sa advertisements ngunit natalo pa rin. Ngunit maaari lamang maging DENR secretary si Pichay sa Hunyo pa dahil mayroong isang taong ban na hindi maa-aring manungkulan sa pamahalan ng isang taon ang mga tumakbo at natalo sa isang eleksyon.

Pen civilians charge cops with illegal arrest

Published by Ellen on December 17, 2007

DILG’s Ronnie Puno shoves it on people’s faces:

Inquirer: Manila Pen police officers awarded for bravery

ABS-CBN news

by Peter Tabingo

Criminal and administrative complaints were filed yesterday against top PNP officials in connection with the arrest and detention of civilians during the Manila Peninsula standoff last November 29.

The three-page complaint filed before the Ombudsman by lawyers JV Bautista and Argee Guevarra, “running priest” Robert Reyes, and Navy Capt. (ret.) Julian Advincula named Director Geary Barias, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office, and Director Asher Dolina, chief of the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

The four said their arrest and subsequent detention for 14 days was illegal in the absence of any court warrant.

A rat of an officer

Published by Ellen on December 16, 2007

Update: Hearing on confirmation of Martir’s promotion to brigadier general was deferred to January 2008.

Tomorrow, when the Commission on Appointments Defense Committee meets, on the agenda is the promotion of Col. Jonathan Martir to brigadier general.

Friday last week, Malaya’s editorial, “Toadies crawling out of the woodwork” was about Gloria Arroyo’s lapdogs in frenzied competition proving what they can do to be promoted to chief tuta. That’s why we have NCR police chief Geary Barias proudly bragging to reporters how he manhandled Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and other Magdalo officers after the Manila Peninsula standoff.

And of course, Martir didn’t want to be left behind. Malaya’s editorial said, “Martir pulled a macho stunt at the Pen. He manhandled Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and some members of the Magdalo group while they were lying face down on the floor with their hands cuffed. Asked by a member of the CA from the House why he did so, Martir answered that Trillanes and his companions “deserved it.”

Ateneo polsci students make a stand

Published by Ellen on December 16, 2007

A call for change

The events that happened last November 29, 2007 marks an important day in these our modern times. It was an event that has been downplayed as another foiled coup attempt or presented as the Manila Pen siege by different sides, but at the basic sense it stands to be called the Manila Peninsula Standoff: a clash between Senator Trillanes et al and the stateâ€™s security forces. A clash that has seen the resounding call for the ouster of the current administration made by the group of Senator Trillanes, the aggressive armed response of the government in neutralizing these dissidents and the highly questionable actions taken by the government with regards to the media and the general populace.

Manila Pen incident – not a case of rebellion or warrantless arrest

Published by Ellen on December 16, 2007

All of the accused are clearly illegally and arbitrarily detained

by Atty. Ernesto B. Francisco, Jr.
Counsel for the Guingonas & some of the Accused

(Probe Team, ABS-CBN did a good documentary on the Nov. 29 incident. You can check it out in their website. It’s titled “Trabaho lang, walang personalan” four parts.

http://www.probetv.com/search_result.php?search_id=manila+pen&search_typ=search_videos)

The complaint for rebellion filed in connection with the Manila Pen incident should be DISMISSED FOR LACK OF PROBABLE CAUSE on the basis of the following grounds:

A perusal of the DOJ Panel Resolution and its supporting evidence clearly shows that they failed to establish probable cause that the crime of rebellion has been committed as would warrant the dismissal of the instant case.

Martial Law na rin yun

Published by Ellen on December 15, 2007

Ngayon tuliro na rin pati si Press Secretary Ignacio “I have two discs” Bunye kung paano umatras dahil pinuputakte sila ng batikos. Umubra na naman denial king. Inquirer update: Arroyo backpedals on anti-subversion law.

Ito talaga si Gloria Arroyo hindi na alam kung ano ang gagawin para ma-protektahan ang inagaw na kapangyarihan. Ngayon binubuhay ang matagal nang nailibing na anti-subversion law.

Ang anti-subversion law ay ginawa noong 1957 (Republic Act 1700) ng panahon ni Pangulong carlos P. Garcia at pinalitan ni Ferdinand Marcos ng Presidential Decree 7636 para panlaban nya sa Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

Sa batas na yun, ilegal ang CPP at kapag miyembro ka, ibig sabihin noon nilabag mo ang batas. Kulong ka. Noong panahon ni Fidel Ramos, inalis na niya ang anti-subversion law at legal na ang CPP. Ang bawal ay ang gumamit ng dahas para itumba ang lehitimong pamahalaan. (Emphasis sa “lehitimo”. Si Gloria Arroyo ay hindi lehitimo na presidente.)

Pen civilians to file illegal detention raps

Published by Ellen on December 15, 2007

by Raymond Africa
Malaya

Five of 18 civilians charged in connection with the Manila Peninsula standoff said yesterday they would file charges of contempt of the Supreme Court and arbitrary detention against police and justice department officials following the dismissal by the Makati court of the rebellion case filed against them.

Former Sanlakas Rep. J. V. Bautista said he and former UP president Francisco Nemenzo, “running priest” Robert Reyes, lawyer Argee Guevarra and columnist Herman Tiu Laurel are charging Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez and all the members of the DoJ prosecution panel headed by Cavite provincial prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco.

‘What is she up to? Stay beyond ’10?’

Published by Ellen on December 15, 2007

Gloria support for revival of anti-subversion law assailed

Malaya’s editorial: Why the proposed crackdown?

by Wendell Vigilia
Malaya

A move to revive the anti-subversion law is part of President Arroyo’s “ominous plan to extend her stay in power,” Rep. Teodoro Casiño said yesterday as he warned of massive rallies against the plan.

Casiño, of the party list group Bayan Muna, and other Leftist lawmakers said President Arroyo’s support for the move exposes her intolerance of legitimate dissent and her desire to declare martial law.

The November 29 movement

Published by Ellen on December 14, 2007

If Gloria Arroyo and her minions think they have crushed the passion for truth and justice of those who were at the Manila Peninsula on Nov. 29, they are very wrong.

The civilians arrested at the Manila Peninsula hotel at the end of the November 29 Makati standoff have formed a new “movement” after a court dismissed the rebellion charges filed against them.

Former University of the Philippines president Francisco Nemenzo told reporters at Camp Crame Thursday evening that they had named their new group the November 29 Movement or N29M.

Month: December 2007